FamilyLab seminars and workshops

We run a series of seminars about issues concerning parenting and education. Below are a few examples. If you are interested in booking a speaker or attending in a seminar simply contact our main office in Sydney.

"Thank you for sharing your thoughts and perspective on parenting with us all last night- I and all other parents I spoke to at the end of the night found it very useful and enjoyable. I’ve received emails this morning from three parents that attended last night, expressing how much they enjoyed it and who are now wanting to register for the next seminar."

Seminar: "Understanding Anger in Children and Young People"

This seminar deals with an issue which is challenging for most parents: The anger they experience in their children and young people!

To understand anger we must acknowledge that children who learn to repress their anger will become violent, and those who learn to mange their anger will not. We also need to accept that conflict is important for our children’s learning.

In this seminar we look at how important it is for us adults to see our children's anger as an invitation. Do our children have a sense of belonging and do they feel they are of value to us?

Discipline doesn't solve any problems - it just postpones them. Why do we often meet anger with anger? What is it about conflicts that we find uncomfortable? Should parents stop yelling? What do we do when our child is bitten or bites others? How do we deal with their anger, tantrums, throwing, biting, hitting...? Four W’s give us some of the answers to anger!

This is an interactive and inspirational workshop. There will be plenty of everyday examples and time for discussion.

Seminar: "From couple to family"

When two people fall in love and decide to live together they “give birth” to their first baby: their relationship. When their second child arrives there is a risk that their first child ends up as a neglected one. The relationship will, just like any neglected child, become difficult and cause lots of trouble in the hope of getting some proper attention.

In this seminar we touch on some of the key points that are crucial for a couple going through the transformation of becoming a family. We look at the important things that you can do as individuals and as a couple to make this transition as successful as possible.

The seminar begins by looking at the important and challenging statement: "Partner first - the parent!" The we look at why "Why parents must write their own job descriptions." We discuss issues such as "Less mum - more dad?" - "Responsibilities and tasks." - "Try not to parent...!" - "Conflicts within the family." - "The importance of getting it wrong." and very importantly: "Equal dignity."

Seminar: "The teenage family"

There are very few periods in a person's life which are so shrouded in myths and misconceptions as the teenage years. Somehow we have been taught that puberty is meant to disturb parents. It is not! It is a natural and necessary biological development that the child must go through in order to become an adult. For the parents it is also a time of evaluation and saying: “Good bye!” to the child and “Hello!” to a new adult member of the family. In many families this process includes a lot of conflicts, a lot of worrying and a lot of grief. In other families the process develops much more smoothly.

In this seminar we not only look at how to survive with a teenager in the house. We believe you need more than just “to live” and make these approximately 5-6 years become a fruitful and constructive part of everybody’s life. It is about the development of the family as a unit. And: Teenagers need you to tell them what you think is right or wrong but they must figure it out for themselves.

The seminar begins by introducing the idea of "Parents as sparring partners." - offer maximum resistance but do minimum harm. Then we look at the importance of "Parents enjoying the fruits of their work." We find out "What teenagers hate and what they need." Discuss issues such as "Teenagers can do a lot on their own - but should never be left to do them along." - "Trust is good but control is better - or the other way around?" - "Social responsibility - personal responsibility." We look at the importance of: "We can talk about, debate and negotiate everything - except for the need for us to talk together." and "Teenagers who confidently say: “No, this is not for me!” will not be excluded from the group."

Seminar: "From loving feelings to loving behaviour"

The love we feel for our children and our partners does not in itself have any value. It has no value at all until it is converted into loving behavior. We are at a unique historical crossroads. The hierarchical and authoritarian family has clearly proven not to be functional and is fortunately becoming extinct. The opposite does not function either: the laissez-faire where everyone does what they want is a disaster. Couples and parents are trying to find a third way but there are no role-models or “hand me down” models. So everyone has to write their job-descriptions from the inside.

In this seminar we touch on how parents in their daily lives can convert their loving feelings into loving behaviour.

The seminar begins by looking at four important values which are absolute requirements: “Equal Dignity; Integrity; Authenticity; and Self-Responsibility.” Facilitated in a thought-provoking manner we look at “Aggression as an important and constructive part of family life.” - “Conflicts between children.” - “This is where I draw the line!” - “From terrible twos to wonderful twos.” - “The beautiful patchwork family.” - “From step parents to bonus parents.” and very importantly: “Speak, so they want to listen.”